In engineering, in particular in vehicle safety engineering, separation bolts are used as actuator units. These separation bolts are, as a rule, extremely sturdy metal components which are fastened by means of a thread and can take up very high forces. The activation energy required for such separation bolts is correspondingly high, for them to expose housing openings, displace components (occasionally contrary to a pressure force) or separate themselves, for example.
In modern vehicle safety systems, particularly in gas bag modules, attempts are made to adjust the safety system to various parameters of a crash situation increasingly individually. One known and advantageous option here is the use of traction means such as, e.g., tethers which, when released, cause discharge openings to be opened or closed. Moreover, such traction means can also be used to influence the geometry of the gas bag and/or open up an additional gas bag volume.
A tether release device called TAU (tether activation unit) is required for active release of the traction means. These TAUs are generally subjected to shearing stresses by comparatively low transverse force loads. Conventional separation bolts are often oversized and too expensive for these applications.
DE 10 2004 042 359 A1 discloses a pyrotechnical actuator unit according to the generic part of claim 1, which is used to initially fix tether sections in a gas bag module in place and to release them upon an actuation of the actuator unit. This document shows screw-in attachment devices having a metal housing and includes the general remark that it is also possible for a housing of the attachment device to be made of a plastic or synthetic material. It is furthermore mentioned that the threaded screw-in sections of the housing may be designed in the form of a snap-in connector.